


hold your shield tight

by astraeal



Category: Book of the Ancestor Series - Mark Lawrence
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, F/F, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29493060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astraeal/pseuds/astraeal
Summary: “Who is ready to put their lives in this criminal’s hands?” High Priest Jacob asked with an infuriating smile on his face. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting anyone to volunteer.“I will.”Silence fell around the hall. Everyone turned to stare at Arabella Jotsis, who was standing up from the stands. Impossibly so, it seemedshewas to one who had spoken up.Before Hessa can volunteer for the ordeal of the Shield, Ara does, showing her faith in Nona.
Relationships: Nona Grey/Arabella Jotsis
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	hold your shield tight

“Who is ready to put their lives in this criminal’s hands?” High Priest Jacob asked with an infuriating smile on his face. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting anyone to volunteer. 

“I will.”

Silence fell around the hall. Everyone turned to stare at Arabella Jotsis, who was standing up from the stands. Impossibly so, it seemed _she_ was to one who had spoken up. Nona blinked a few times, sure she was seeing things, but no, Arabella was still standing, her head high and her eyes only leaving the high priest to look at Nona.

They stared at each other for what was probably only a few seconds but seemed like an eternity to Nona. She was shocked and confused, but Arabella looked only full of determination. 

“I will,” Arabella repeated and proceeded to walk out of the stands. 

This seemed to wake everyone else. Chatter erupted from all around Blade Hall and High Priest Jacob was aghast. 

“You—you cannot!”

Sister Wheel seemed to share his thoughts as she shot a death glare in the direction of Nona — as if it was _Nona_ ’s fault Arabella had decided to volunteer, to be the one Nona would have to protect for the ordeal.

“Why can’t I?” Arabella asked, apparently unaware of the turmoil she had left in Nona’s mind. There was no love between the two girls, didn’t Arabella want to see Nona fail? How could she let Nona defend her, defend her life? “We’re both novices of Red Class and I am not that taller than Nona. It makes sense.”

Arabella ended her declaration with a hard gaze as she walked past the high priest, toward Nona, not stopping once. 

Nona saw Arabella getting closer with each second that passed and still couldn’t open her mouth to join in the protestations. She still didn’t understand what was happening, why would Arabella volunteer, for _her_. Hadn’t she heard how she failed Saida? The entire convent must have known, by now. If Nona couldn’t save her friend, how could she protect— a classmate? A rival? A fellow novice? They weren’t really anything to each other.

Arabella was almost in front of Nona when High Priest Jacob spoke up again.

“I can’t let a daughter of the Sis suffer from some nobody’s crimes!”

To that, Sister Wheel added her objection, “Novice Arabella, the Argatha…”

This close, Nona could feel the soundless sigh Arabella made as she turned around, facing the rest of the room. She was almost hiding Nona with her body now. For one brief moment, Nona felt safe behind Arabella Jotsis, before remembering what exactly was happening and shaking herself from that thought.

“With all due respects,” Arabella started, and Nona heard the tiniest bit of exasperation in words, doubtless gone by the time her voice carried over to the high priest. “If the Shield protects the Argatha, and I am supposed to be the Argatha, isn’t it more than fitting that Nona defends me?”

Most of the people that were at first opposed to the idea could not find anything against Arabella’s words. She made it sound so easy. Even Sister Wheel who had been so against it did not dare voice her concerns over Arabella’s, the supposed Chosen One, resolve. It did not stop her from glaring at Nona with distrust and animosity. If she’d survive this whole ordeal, Nona wasn’t sure how she’d deal with Spirit Class and its Mistress. 

Sister Rose spoke softly beside them. “If you are sure, I’ll help you both get ready. Oh, this is madness…”

She was leaning down next to them, a hand on each of the girls’ shoulders, when High Priest Jacob exclaimed, “This is ridiculous! I cannot accept—”

“You asked for a volunteer from the girl’s class,” Sister Tallow interrupted him, her hands on her hips. “You have one now. They are only a dozen or so, there aren’t that many possibilities. Arabella is a Sis, and so what? She is a novice of this convent and volunteered, that should be enough.”

The high priest was indignant, but even the archons were against him. Having all been overruled once today before was enough for some of them. “Let them do it,” Archon Nevis said. “We already lost so much time on this.” The _because of you_ was left unsaid. 

Agreed on that, Sister Tallow left to search for the weapons, throwing a last look in Arabella and Nona’s direction. Sister Rose led them to the spot where they would have to stand for this ordeal, Nona left to defend Arabella Jotsis. All while walking, she spoke in a soft voice, trying to reassure them, or maybe even herself.

“—and Sister Tallow says Nona is very fast, she would not let you do it if she didn’t think you could… Arabella, you are in good hands in Nona’s, she will protect you, we have to trust in the Abbess’ vision…”

Nona heard it all, but her mind didn’t register it for a while. She began to understand the responsibility she had now, to keep Arabella unharmed, and that scared her. Nona could do fine with just herself, but with another life in her hands… This was a delicate matter. 

Sister Rose held them in her arms for a few seconds. “You have to trust in yourself. In both of you.” And with these last words, she went to join Sister Tallow who had come back from the stores. 

Like this, Nona and Arabella were left together, a strange feeling of privacy that urged Nona to speak.

“Why are you doing this? I thought…”

Arabella smiled at her, and Nona lost all the words in her mouth. “I know we haven’t started on the right foot, and you may not believe me but… I have nothing against you. I don’t care where you came from, or how you grew up, you don’t deserve this so-called justice.”

Nona knew she was gasping at Arabella, but she couldn’t help it. This wasn’t the Arabella Jotsis she thought she was. Not the mean noble, mocking her and ready to stab her in the middle of the night for a shaved head. 

“I may not know the whole story,” Arabella kept going, seemingly oblivious to all the confusion and chaos in Nona’s mind, “but I know what you did was for a good reason. To protect your friend. Raymel Tacsis should have been stopped a long time ago.”

And this was right in some points but… Nona took deep breaths, calming her racing heart and brain.

“Arabella—”

“Ara. Please, call me Ara. Everyone does.”

Nona had heard the nickname from Jula and the other novices, but she felt as if she’s been handed something very precious, something to share between the two girls.

“Ara,” she started again, trying the name on her lips. Nona found that she liked how it fell on her lips, and how Ara had a smile in her eyes by hearing it. Encouraged by Ara’s nod, she carried on. “If you know I did it for my friend, don’t you know I failed her? Saida is dead now, because of me. Aren’t you afraid I will let you down too?”

“Nona…” Ara looked sad now. Nona didn’t like that expression on her face. “What happened… This isn’t your fault, you didn’t fail your friend. Raymel got away from it only because of his father’s money and influence while you have none. You did _nothing_ wrong.”

Hearing these words from Ara’s lips took the breath away from Nona. She hadn’t realised before how important it was that someone stood on her side, didn’t resent her for what she did. She didn’t believe she could have that kind of support. 

As if it wasn’t enough, Ara took Nona’s hands in hers and looked right into her eyes. “I believe in you. I saw how fast you were, how fast you react. I trust you to defend me.”

Nona bit her lip, uncertain. “Are—are you sure? There are many ways this could go wrong.”

Before Ara could answer, Sister Wheel slid between them with a glacial look in Nona’s direction. “Enough chit-chat! This is a serious matter and we’re only waiting for you to begin.”

Nona looked around and realised Sister Wheel was right. Sister Tallow was handing a spear to a guard, with Sister Rose watching them both with concerned eyes from the sidelines. The high priest was arguing quietly with one of the archons, shooting glances toward Abbess Glass where she was sitting surrounded by Sister Pan and Sister Rule. Everyone on the stands was talking, speculating with their neighbours, but their eyes glued to the centre of the hall, to Ara and Nona, to Sister Tallow and her weapons, and to the guards standing by, ready to take action. 

Nona had been so focused on Ara that everything else had disappeared while they talked. 

“Come one,” Sister Wheel urged them — words more directed at Nona than toward Ara. “In position girls.”

Nona shot a desperate look in Ara’s direction. She needed to know for sure that Ara was certain about this. Ara simply nodded and said loudly, loud enough for everyone in Blade Hall to hear, “The convent’s entire foundation is about faith. If we are to be sisters in the future, should I not show you some faith too?”

Relieved by that answer, Nona nodded back and took her position in front of Ara, her body uptight. Her stature was short, so speed will have to do the job. She could take whatever came at her, at them.

She turned back one last time toward Ara, who offered her a tiny smile. Despite her words, she was also anxious. 

“Try not to move,” Nona told her and faced back to the guard in front of them, spear in his hand. She took deep breaths and tried to focus. 

“Ancestor witness this our trial of faith and swiftness, the Argatha’s Shield,” announced Sister Wheel, nodding to the guard.

The guard scowled and threw his spear. Nona let herself fall back in the moment, time slowing around her as she moved, gaze fixed on the coming spear. She couldn’t let it touch Ara. Because this was the whole point of this ordeal, yes, but also because Ara said she _trusted_ her. Nona couldn’t let her down. 

Her gaze moved, faster than ever, analysing the path of the spear and how to best redirect it. With simple, fast movements she pushed it away and watched it fall on the ground next to them. She turned to check on Ara and the other girl beamed at her. 

Nona only had time to quickly nod at her before she felt a strong glare at the back of her head, forcing her to turn back. Hight Priest Jacob was watching her with irritation and displeasure.

“Mistress Blade,” Sister Wheel’s voice echoed through the hall. “The throwing star.”

The high priest clapped his hands. “Yes. Wheel, Good. I hope you’ll do better than my own men.”

“I—” Sister Wheel hesitated only a second before nodding with determination, taking the throwing star from Sister Tallow’s hand and getting into position. 

Nona nearly snorted at the picture, throwing an amused look behind her, but Ara only shook her head rapidly, looking worried. 

Oh. So Sister Wheel with a weapon was still to fear. Nona wouldn’t have thought, with how the sister dismissed anything that wasn’t directly about faith or the Ancestor. Nona would have to watch out for that, now and in the future. It was a good reminder that no matter the appearances, she had to stay wary, now more than ever. 

“Ancestor witness this our trial of faith and swiftness.”

Sister Wheel narrowed her eyes at Nona, the star shifting between her knuckles. It was as if she was envisioning where it would land on her body. At this point, Nona was pretty sure she herself was the target, they wouldn’t dare try to harm Ara, especially not Sister Wheel. 

She was probably even pretending Ara wasn’t there, Nona had seen the hesitation in Sister Wheel’s eyes. How could she try to hurt the supposed Argatha? For someone with the faith of Mistress Spirit, this sure was a challenge in itself. 

But her distaste for Nona was probably stronger than anything else as Sister Wheel threw the star in Nona’s direction, her eyes closing as it left her fingers. She certainly was afraid of the result, torn between her want to see Nona fail and her want to keep the Chosen One from harm. 

Nona scoffed at her thoughts — and at Sister Wheel — and her limbs moved faster than ever, ready to intercept the throwing star. It had not even been a millisecond before she realised that, in order to keep Ara safe, Nona will have to get hurt by the star. They had both emerged untouched by the spear, but this wouldn’t keep up. Sister Wheel will be satisfied. 

This didn’t falter Nona in the slightest, her body still moving to block the throwing star. If she got hurt, so what? A shield had to endure blows to protect. Why should she be different? Nona wasn’t afraid of getting hurt, and she couldn’t let Ara get harmed. 

With a shock in her hand, she pushed the star away. She heard it touched the ground, the sound echoing in her ears, as she stared at Sister Wheel, challenge met. 

A touch on her hand made all the sensations come back to it and Nona hissed at the pain. 

“You’re hurt,” Ara said gently, Nona’s hand in hers. She was holding it so delicately, but Nona felt the touch a hundred times more than the pain in her palm. She looked at her hand in Ara’s and saw a deep cut bleeding fiercely. 

“I’m… OK, I think.”

Besides that initial burst of pain, Nona couldn’t really feel the cut anymore. All she was focused on was Ara’s finger, brushing lightly around the blood. She tried to get her hand back, not wanting her blood to taint Ara’s unblemished finger, but the other girl tightened her grip on her hand with a small glare. 

“We need to cover it, still.”

Saying this, Ara took out a handkerchief from the pocket of her habit and wiped at the blood as if it was the most natural thing in the world, leaving Nona speechless. She could only stare as Ara tied her handkerchief around Nona’s hand, with the cut secure under it. 

“There.” Ara swept her finger one last time on the makeshift bandage before letting go of Nona’s hand. “All better. We can keep moving,” she said, her gaze travelling to the high priest. Then she added, in a soft whisper, “You’re doing great.”

Ara took her place back against the wall and Nona faced once again the rest of the hall. She suddenly felt stronger, braver. Only one more trial to go and she will have protected Ara, will have succeeded. She could do _anything_. 

Her confidence slipped out a little when she saw the man who had replaced Sister Wheel. He was big with muscular arms and held a bow in his hands. High Priest Jacob was watching not too far away with a sufficient smile, giving instructions to the archer. 

An arrow would be way quicker than a spear or even a throwing star. And with the size of this man, he was strong. This was going to be the hardest one yet. How will she manage to block the arrow, stopping it from even getting close to Ara? 

Sister Wheel stepped on the side, closer than where she was before, as if to take a better look when Nona would fail. 

“Ancestor witness this our trial of faith and swiftness.”

Nona breathed deeply and let all thoughts leave her mind, concentrating only on the arrow in front of her. She faintly registered the archer hesitating and the high priest coercing him, but she only snapped to attention when the arrow was finally released from the bow, advancing toward her and Ara with incredible speed. 

She couldn’t be faster than the arrow. She tried but felt her speed leaving her. This wasn’t enough. She wasn’t enough.

_She couldn’t let Ara get hurt_. 

With a desperate cry, she pushed herself right in front of the arrow and twisted her body to change the arrow’s direction. She heard it left her body from her back before she felt any trace of pain. With the last of her forces, she kept twisting as she fell until she had Ara in her visual field, checking that she was unharmed.

_Good_ , she thought, and then it was nothingness, Ara’s worried face the last thing her eyes saw, carved into her mind. 

When she woke up, Nona’s brain was fuzzy and she could still only see Ara’s worried look. She blinked her eyes open and Ara’s face blurred and doubled before it settled into Arabella Jotsis leaning over her with concern written all over her face. 

But when their gazes met, Ara’s eyes cleared and a smile appeared on her face. 

“Good. You’re awake.”

Nona blinked some more and looked around her. She was in the sanatorium, lying in a bed with Ara sitting on a chair on one side, and Sister Rose cleaning her wound on the other.

“ _Good_?” the sister exclaimed. “Novices shouldn’t get pierced by arrows in this convent, vision and ordeal or not. This is unacceptable!”

“High Priest Jacob was removed from his office by the archons,” Ara said with a knowing look in her eyes. It seemed politics were at play here. 

“As he should!” Sister Rose huffed. “After what he made Nona endure… You look so small I was really afraid. But you are stronger than he thought. I am proud of you.”

Nona felt her eyes tear up a little at these words. With Sister Rose tending to her wound and Ara smiling at her, she felt oh so warm. She closed her eyes and simply breathed, glad in the knowledge she had not failed, Ara was kept safe. And she wasn’t alone. 

As Sister Rose bandaged her shoulder and Ara held her hand, telling her gossip from the court, the promise of friendship in her words, Nona felt content. 

**Author's Note:**

> hello and welcome to my nonabella agenda!!  
> dedicating this to my kitty and the best doggo for keeping me motivated to write (yes i am 100% serious)  
> thank you for reading! you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/cosiette) and [tumblr](https://cosiette.tumblr.com/)!


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